Top Ten Songs from The Who

After first becoming a player in the music scene in the 1960s, The Who went on to become one of if not the greatest live rock and roll bands of all time. Their memorable live performances coupled with their popularization of such rock staples as the power chord, rock opera and guitar smash have earned The Who the distinction of being one of the greatest rock acts of all time. This list is a collection of their greatest songs to date. Don't agree with the list? Vote for an existing item you think should be ranked higher or if you are a logged in, add a new item for others to vote on or create your own version of this list.

The Top Ten

1Baba O'Riley

Great song always puts me in a good mood Great guitar with pete doing his windmill Love the vocals on this song as well

Teenage wasteland its only teenage wasteland... amazingVocals are great and the music is really catchy... definitely number 1

How the zombie jesus is this not first? This song brings the passion out of the true who

[Newest]Baba O'Riley is #1. Up there with Won't Get Fooled Again, Pinball Wizard, and I Can See For Miles.

2Won't Get Fooled Again

Keith Moon does an incredible job on the drum solo. It deserves the number 1 spot.

We don't get fooled again! Have you not heard the scream! No one can do that! Obviously The Who's best song!

Simply a great song. All of them go wild on this one, especially Keith Moon on drums.

[Newest]Very long song, but you don't get bore.

3My Generation

Awesome song with a sweet bass part

Awesome song, the original is better than any other cover... For me it is their best and is worthy of the best song ever... The Who - My generation truly is the epitome of Rock n'Roll

The epitome of The Who generation. This song changed Rock 'n' Roll history forever.

[Newest]Good bass solo from john.

4Behind Blue Eyes

Great lyrics, great vocals, great guitar, great drums, great song! The who really put it all together in this song

Even one of the worst band like limp bizkit has a good song that too is cover of Behind blue eyes. This shows the nature of this song

Its one of my favorite songs to play for the miracle of the meadow lands I would rank it 5th in my top ten songs list right now

[Newest]Everything about it is great

5Pinball Wizard

cool song with awesome guitar and lyrics

The most popular song from The Who's timeless Tommy, this was actually a late addition to the rock opera. Townshend was advised that the first version of Tommy was too relentless and needed something to lighten it up - and thus this classic song was born. A piece from classical composer Henry Purcell influenced Townshend for the song's constant sense of motion, and helped bring us this enduring classic.

Knock KnockWhos there? TheThe Who!

This is a good song

6Who Are You

I think this song reveals the band's best guitar-work in all of their amazing catalogue... The vocals are pretty nice too... Great song

fidelcanojr

Definitely deserves to be #2 behind Teenage Wasteland. This song makes me want to live life. Between the groove and the amazing piano and guitar fusion, this song is just plain amazing. One of the best Classic Rock songs ever

Who are you? Who who, who who? Seriously, who are you people not voting this song? It's absolutely amazing guitar work and shows off Roger's voice very nicely. For me, it's a toss up between this and Baba for the number 1 spot, but seeing as this is so far down, I give it my vote.

[Newest]I love the intro

7Love Reign O'er Me

Daltrey never sang better. Never even came close, really. His vocals, the hypnotic synths and 6/8 time really make Love Reign O'er Me stand out, even when compared to the other stellar tracks on Quadrophenia.

Quite possibly the greatest song of all time. I don't think any more needs to be said.

But since it won't let me post that, I will say that both the vocals and the lyrics work to make this one one of the most powerful and heart-wrenching songs I've ever heard, full of genuine emotion.

Roger Daltrey could be guilty of going overboard with his vocals, but "Love, Reign O'er Me" is a perfect example of the man knowing how to rock the emotions without getting excessive. Townshend's writing is perceptive and involving, and the band sounds great, but it's Daltrey who gives the song its heft, power and impact. A truly sterling piece of rock singing that demonstrates why Daltrey, at his peak, couldn't be beat.

8I Can't Explain

Heard it the first time on some greatest hits CD in 2004. It was like hearing God! Just awesome!

PeterLuke

Heard this for the first time in 20 years. Absolutely brilliant. Incredible, magical and ohh so controlled.

I CAN'T EXPLAIN how awesome this is

gemcloben

[Newest]Simple riff is nice.

9The Seeker

"The Seeker" is easily one of my favourite Who songs. It starts with an ultra-catchy guitar riff that runs through-out the song, with Entwistle following every note to really add a punch sound to the already aggressive guitar sound. Listening to "The Seeker" makes my chest pound. But it's not just the music. The lyrics are also very engaging. They might not be Shakespeare, but still, they do a very good job of capturing what to me seems is Townshend's, and every person's for that matter, struggle to define themselves, to be able to say "that's who I am with certainty. It's a song about seeking answers to existential questions that cannot be answered in a lifetime. You can "search low", on the earth, or "high, " in heaven, but still, we can only hope to get those answers when we die.

I love the bass in this song! John Entwistle plays better than God! If he was still alive, I'd sure record an album with him.

I think is the seeker is the coolest song of The Who

[Newest]The call me the seeker!

10Bargain

In my top five songs ever, up there with stairway to heaven and child in time

The Contenders

This song is very epic on drums and vocals. This should be at least be above the top five and to be honest, to be number one of the who band. YEAH!

The Who's only Top 10 single in the United States; "I Can See For Miles" brilliantly demonstrates the band performing at their unified best. Keith Moon's fierce, intolerant drumming, Roger Daltrey's menacing vocals, Pete Townshend's ominous guitar and John Entwistle's counterpoint bass come together with Townshend's amazing writing to create this masterpiece. True, it's a familiar story of love betrayed - but it's given fresh, almost psychedelic life in this rendition.

Horribly, horribly HORRIBLY underrated. How can this song not be AT LEAST in the top 5? Come on, let's vote this song higher!

13Substitute

reminds us of the old times were we don't need to have good faces to be famous

I love this song makes me dance every time I hear it!

Should be in the top ten

mneilan

14Eminence Front

A hidden gem, the only who song better than baba O'reilly

This is MY favorite, a blast from my past! This show their skills as a band, the solos and variety of the instrumentals unsurpassed!

I don't know why this song is so low on the list, I think the music is great and the lyrics give meaning to what our society is becoming and how the who were against the "Eminence Front"

[Newest]Brilliant Bass line, my favourite who song by far

15You Better You Bet

Great Song! I could listen to this all day and never get sick of it! I first heard it in the first episode of season 2 of The Newsroom and it fit in perfectly! I'd say this is easily my favorite song from The Who.

Love Love This Song Please Vote This Song Higher Up This List PLease Great Guitar Bass Drumming And Singing

mneilan

Great tune lovely beat vote this up

[Newest]One of their later hits from the 1980's.

16The Real Me

This is the best song because the bass is fantastic and the song is the first of quadrophenia after I am the sea and it opens the filmJohn entwistle is fantastic also keith moon is good and I love the energy that the song can to give

This song does not have one bass solo, it is an ode to the greatness of the greatest bassist ever, John Entwistle. It is really amazing.This is not my favorite, but it should move up on this list.

Bass bass and only bass

[Newest]John really shows his talent here

gemcloben

17The Kids Are Alright

This song is a simple, humble example of classic Who. An overlooked release by most, it is a beautiful ode to the pure everyday issues of life, and really personifies the calmer side to the Who.

I Used To Hate This Song, Its Awesome Now

18See Me, Feel Me

Damn! I guess this song deserve #6 on top ten list But those crap are higher, I 'm sorry all the who songs are great but I mean there are a few the who songs who deserve lower than this song and higher than this song, so I think I must vote this song I love the live version on woodstock, moon always play this song awesome and fast

The Who have so many great songs, but surely this should be higher then 27? Check out some of the live performances like Woodstock for example.

Fantastic song! Has an amazing amount of emotion!

19A Quick One, While He's Away

The 9-minute "A Quick One, While He's Away" is actually a mini-opera, and paved the way for The Who's 1969 rock opera Tommy. As a medley of six songs, it tells the simple story of a girl who takes a new lover while her old one is away. The piece is generally regarded as the first integrated song cycle in rock. Aside from its place in rock history, it also contains some of Townshend's most engaging writing.

I wouldn't say this song is better than all of Tommy, but it was the beginning of their Rock Opera idea. Should be in the top ten... Anyone who has seen Wes Andersons RUSHMORE should love this song.

This Is Better Than The Whole Tommy Album Put Together

20Go to the Mirror

This is the best

215:15

I've heard anything much better in the rock world...

Absolutely beautiful, the piano, the brass, the guitar fills, the backing vocals, the melody... I could go on for 5 minutes 15... But its just simply incredible, highly underrated

How is this so far down? It has everything - an immensely addicting piano backing, a thunderous drum track, a brilliant bassline and a horn - what more do you need?

A song with sublime energy and a great feel to it. Deserves to be in the top ten.

[Newest]Hear the live version with the bass solo! Its amazing!

22Squeeze Box

I love yo play this song at bars everyone seems to like it

I think this just makes the who amazing

gemcloben

23Join Together

24The Song Is Over

25We're Not Gonna Take It

26How Many Friends

27Boris the Spider

It's really funny, my favorite song by them. I'd like to see you get it out of your head. I'm also in love with the fact that John Entwisle wrote it with Bill Wyman

28I'm Free

I am free rocks so much so so so so so so so so so much it has to be in the top 10 I love this classic rock song really much

29Overture

Probably one of the best instrumental songs that ever have written

Its sad that my favorite who song didn't even make the list.

30Sally Simpson

31Sparks

32Christmas

33Happy Jack

Never fails to make me happy. Love the drums in this one, especially Townshend saying: "I saw you! " at the tail-end of the song. It basically says how happy they are as a band :D

I remember riding in my Dad's car when I first heard this song. It makes me want to skip around to this day!

Easily their most underrated song. Evokes feeling and has an excellent melody to back it up.

CanĀ't believe this song is in this place, itĀ's perfect for me, it has so much armony, a sample of an elvis song and much variations of sounds.

35I Don't Even Know Myself

36Tattoo

37Zoot Suit

38Amazing Journey

39Pictures of Lily

Love This Song This One Got Really High In The Charts

mneilan

Brilliant lyrics, amazing music.

40It's Not Enough

41A Legal Matter

42Heaven and Hell

There is only the live version. The Who never recorded it in a studio.

43Sea and Sand

This song has it all: crazy great drumming by Keith Moon, beautiful guitarplay by Pete Townshend, great vocals by both Daltrey and Townshend and Entwistle is great on the bass. The song has both very cool rock sections and slower beautiful sections. The pace of the song is changing multible times during the song, and in a way like I have never heard it before. Simply breathtaking! This song is very underrated, because it is the one of the best songs the Who has ever made in my opinion...

Number 44? What?! I have listened to a lot of the Who, and this is my favorite song of all! It should at least be in the top 10...

Totally agree! This is absolutely one of the greatest songs by the Who if not the very best!

Epic song. Should be much higher on the list. The strength of the emotions present, as well as the terrific lyrics make this a classic, that seems to me quite unappreciated.

NUMBER 60? REALLY? THIS SHOULD BE IN THE TOP 20.

53Young Man Blues

54Love Ain't for Keepin'

55Sunrise

56Relay

57Bell Boy

58The Punk and the Godfather

The fact that I had to add this easily top 5 worthy song myself really disappoints me.

59Naked Eye

Easily one of the most underrated songs, solid lyrics and a rocking' riff that will keep you captivated for a long time.

Love the live version

60Don't Let Go the Coat

Nice guitar melody and amating harmony vocally

61Blue, Red and Grey

62Athena

63Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere

64Pure and Easy

65Teenage Wasteland

Are you an idiot? Teenage Wasteland is Baba O'Riley.

Everyone can relate to this song

LOLZ! Name is Baba O'Riley!

66I'm a Boy

67Dreaming From the Waist

How can this song not be on this list. A rock solid performance from all of the band members and some of the best lyrics Pete has written. Their most underrated song.

68Out In the Street

69Cut My Hair

70The Dirty Jobs

71Rael

Completely shocked this beauty didn't make it into the list. It seems to me that this list is devised into the ten most famous 'The Who' songs rather than the songs which are the gems not as well recongnised but more so in a lot of ways matches up to the same standards and sometimes surpasses that of the top ten I see in this list.

72Tea & Theatre

Love this song very much should be higher in the list

73Music Must Change

74Trick of the Light

75Slip Kid

I'm voting for my second favorite (1 is Baba). This is a REALLY close second though. Such a cool sound.

Really? Not even a mention?

76Welcome

77The Rock

Amazing, from the beginning to the end! Can't believe this isn't already added to the top ten!

78So Sad About Us

79Gettin' In Tune

80Too Much of Anything

81Underture

82My Wife

This is without a doubt the greatest song John Entwistle ever wrote. I love the melody, and its definitely Entwistles highlight on Who's Next!